Court refuses to restrain Ranil and Tissa

By T. Farook Thajudeen

The Colombo District Court yesterday refused to issue an interim injunction on United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and  its Secretary Tissa Attanayake restraining them from acting in their offices as the Leader and Secretary on the allegation made by UNP Southern Province Provincial Councilor Maithree Gunaratne who sought a declaration from Court that Wickremesinghe  and Attanayake’s election as UNP Leader and Secretary are illegal and had contravened the party constitution.

District Judge G.A.D. Ganepola while refusing to restrain them ordered Ranil Wickramasinghe and Tissa Attanayake to file their answers on or before 23 November.

The petition filed by Iranga Dewapura the instructing attorney for Maithree Gunaratne sought a declaration from Court that Wickremesinghe’s and Attanayake’s election on 19 December 2011 were illegal and the election to elect party officials by secret ballot had contravened the party constitution.

Gunaratne had alleged that under Wickremesinghe’s leadership the UNP had lost all the elections since 2005 except the 2001 general election and the 2002 provincial council election.

Gunartne also alleged that the drafted new constitution has allowed the party leadership to continue in his office till the end of the leader’s lifetime and asked that the Court orders the ballot papers to be produced in Court.

Counsel Tisath Wijegunaratna with Pasindu Wijenanda and Sanora Jayawardena instructed by Iranga Dewapura appeared for Maithree Gunaratna.

President Counsel Ikram Mohamed instructed by S.B. Dissanayake appeared for Ranil Wickramasinghe and Tissa Attanayake.